Separating and dewatering device.



r. WIBEARDSLEE.

SEPARATING AND DEWATERING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1916.

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F; w. BEARD SJLEEF SEPARATINGAND DEWATERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25

Patnted Apr. 16, 1918.

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FREDERICK W. BEARDSLEE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MARY TAYLOR BEAR-DSLEE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SEPARATING AND DEWATERING DEVICE.

Application filed September 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WV. BEARDS- LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Separating and Dewatering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a separating and dewatering device for use in any association where it is desired to separate solids from liquids, or light from heavy particles, or to thicken or clarify any substance in solution.

The present device has been used with marked success in mining regions where water is scarce, for the purpose of removing the water from the pulp or slime, and claritying it for re-use. The operation of the device is continuous and automatic, and capable of adjustment to vary the consistency of the separated substances. The principle of operation of the device may be likened to that of an impulse turbine, the inflowing material being directed upon the turbine wheel to operate the same, whereby a gentle vortical motion is imparted to the contents of the container for the purpose of moving the heavier substances outward. The lighter substances or clarified water can then be drawn off from the inner portion of the container. In connection with the turbine wheel I provide float means for regulating the discharge of the heavier substances in accordance with the height of the material in the container.

The construction of the device is simple Figure 1 shows a vertical central sectional view of the complete device,

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 shows a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the present device I employ an inverted conical tank 10 carried on a base 11 and fitted with a vertical stem 12 extending along its longitudinal axis, which stemcar- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Serial No. 121,990.

ries at its lower end a conical valve 13 working in a beveled seat 141 fitted in the lower end of the tank. The upper end of the stem is fitted slidably and rotatably in a bearing 15 formed on radial arms 16 resting removably upon the top of the tank. The said stem 12 is surrounded by an inclosed casing 17 spaced therefrom and secured at its lower end to the valve 13 and carries on its upper end an enlarged hollow head 18 secured to the stem 12, and forming a float. On the periphery of the head at suitable intervals, I arrangebuckets 19 which, supported on downwardly extending arms 20 fixed to the head and inclined outwardly at its lower end. The casing 17 is provided on its exterior surfa ce with blades 21 curved in the same direction as the buckets 19. Spaced from the blades 21 is a series of battles or gates 22 each supported on arms 23 fixed to the tank, said gates being overlapped slightly at their adjacent ends and arranged shingle fashion although spaced apart to al.- low movement of the water'or material between.

An inlet pipe or chute 24% is arranged at the top of the tank with a discharge end directed into the path of the buckets 19. An outlet pipe 25 is arranged at one side of the tank and has its mouth positioned between the blades 21 and baffles 22, for drawing oil the liquid or lighter substance. A valve 26 is provided for the pipe 25 for regulating the discharge of water. i

In the operation of the device the material to be dewatered, separated, or otherwise treated, is introduced through the pipe or chute 24 with suificient velocity to cause a slow rotatable movement of the float and valve mechanism through the impulse oi the material against the buckets 19'. Normally the tank will be filled with material to a point where the float raises and opens the valve 13. By means of the blades 21 the body of the contained material in the tank will be given a swirling or vertical motion in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 3.

The result of this is that the heavier particles contained in the material will be moved outwardly between the gates 22, leaving the clear water or lighter substances nearer the center of the tank where they will pass off through the outlet pipe 25. The heavier particles or solid substances moving outwardly will be directed downwardly and inwardly by the converging sides of the tank 10 and upon reaching the bottom of the tank will pass out through the valve 13.

The float valve automatically maintains the proper relation of the separated elements. If the valve should open so far as to permit light particles or liquid to escape with the solids, then the volume of material in the tank will decrease on account of the regulated and even inflow of the same. Thereupon the float will be lowered and the valve closed to check the excessive discharge of the materials. 011 the other hand if the valve does not open sufficiently to allow the solids to escape, the height of the material in the tank will rise, lifting the float and further opening the valve. The handling of any volume of material can be provided for, and the exact consistency of the material discharged through the bottom valve can be regulated by adjusting the valve 25 through Which the clear liquid is dis charged. For instance if the solution intro-1 duced into this device contains 20% of solids, then must be liquid. If the valve in the clear liquid discharge pipe be opened so as to let out one half of the incoming clear liquid, in other words 40% of water, the 40% of water remaining must mix with the 20% of solids and be discharged through the valve at the bottom of the cone, and the material so discharged at the bottom will contain 83.3% of solids. Therefore, any desired consistency of such discharged material can be secured by the simple opening or closing of the clear liquid valve. The float has a screw cap 27 to permit the introduction of ballast whereby to insure the closing of the valve 13 when a predetermined level of the material in the tank isreached. After being once itdJUSted, the buoyancy need not be varied.

All of the material, both liquids and solids, is deposited in the cone outside of the baffle sheets 22, and the swirl of the water, by reason of the rotation of the-valve stem, will prevent the heavier particles from floating into the center from which the clear liquid is drawn ofl. V

This device is ideally adapted for use with suction dredgesforthe construction of levees, as by the use of the same the levee material can be deposited on the land in the exact consistency required and the excess water pumped by the dredge, returned by gravity'to the stream.

WVhile I have shown herein and described but one form of my invention, it will be understood nevertheless that the same is susceptible of modification, and that various changes in the construction and arrangement of the several parts may be employed without departing from the spiritof the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a separating device, a container, centrifugal means therein automatically oper ated by the gravity inflow of material at the top thereof for separating the lighter from the heavier substances, and means for varying the consistency of the heavier substances discharged by varying the volume of light substances discharged.

2. In a separating device, a container, rotary means operated by the gravity inflow of material at the top of the container for imparting a gentle vortical motion to the contents of the container whereby to move the heavier substances outwardly, allowing the lighter substances to remain near the center of the container, means for drawing off the lighter substances from the inner and upper portion of the container, and means for drawing off the heavier particles from the lower portion thereof.

3. In a separating device, a container, rotary means operated by the gravity inflow of material at the top of the container for imparting a gentle whirling motion-to the contents of the container whereby to move the heavier substances outwardly, allowing the lighter substances to remain near the center, means fordrawing off the lighter substances from the inner and upper portion of the container, means for discharging the heavier substances from the bottom thereof, and means for automatically regulating the discharge of the latter in accordance with the height of the material in the container.

a. In a separating device, a container, a turbine wheel therein, means for admitting material under gravity pressure to said container and directing it against the buckets of said wheel to rotate the latter and impart a gentle outward movement to the contents of the container whereby the heavy particles or solid substances are moved out wardly and the lighter particles and liquid substances remain near the center of the container, battles dividing the container into inner and outer zones, and means for continuously drawing off the separated substances from each of the zones.

5. In a separating device, a container, a turbine wheel therein, means for admitting the material to said container under gravity pressure and directing it against the buckets of said wheel to rotate the latter and impart a gentle outward movement to the contents of the container whereby the heavy drawing oil the heavy material from the bot-tom of the container, and float means carried by the turbine wheel for regulating the size of the discharge vent in the bottom of said container.

6. In a separating device, an inverted conical tank, means operated by the inflow of material under gravity pressure thereto for imparting a gentle vortical motion to the contents of the tank whereby to move the heavy particles and solid substances outwardly, for settlement to the bottom of the tank, valve-controlled means for drawing off the light particles and liquid substances from the upper and inner portion of the tank, means for drawing off the heavy particles and solid substances from the bottom of the tank, a valve for controlling said last-named means, and a float for regulating the valve in accordance with the height of the material in the tank.

7. In a separating device, an inverted conical tank having discharge orifice at its bottom, a conical valve seated in said discharge orifice for controlling the same, a floating turbine wheel in said tank journaled upon a vertical axis, said valve forming the lower pintle for the wheel, means for admitting material into said tank under gravity pressure and directing it against the buckets of the wheel to rotate the latter and impart a gentle whirling motion to the contents of the tank whereby to move the heavy particles and solid substances outwardly for settlement to the bottom of the tank, means for drawing ofl the light particles and liquid substances from the upper and inner portion of the tank, said bottom discharge orifice permitting the heavy particles and solid substances to escape in quantities varying in accordance with the height of the material in the tanks.

8. In a separating device comprising a tank with sloping sides to a central discharge at the bgttom, a float valve for said discharge, the float mounted for rotation while in suspension in the tank, and having peripheral buckets, a pulp nozzle by which the entering pulp is directed against the blades to rotate the latter and said float.

9. In a separating device comprising a tank with sloping sides to a central discharge at the bottom, a float valve for said discharge, the float mounted for rotation while in suspension in the tank, and having peripheral buckets, a pulp nozzle by which the entering pulp is directed against the blades to rotate the latter and said float, and submerged blades carried by the float arranged to direct the solids outwardly toward the sloping sides of the tank.

10. In a separating device comprising a tank with sloping sides to a central discharge at the bottom, a float valve for said discharge, the float mounted for rotation while in suspension in the tank, and having peripheral buckets, a pulp nozzle by which the entering pulp is directed against the blades to rotate the latter and said float, submerged blades carried by the float arranged to direct the solids outwardly toward the sloping sides of the tank, and spaced submerged baflies arranged between the sides of the tank and the blades, between which baffles the currents created by the blades circulate.

11. In a separating device comprising. a tank with sloping sides, to a central. discharge at the bottom, a float valve for said discharge, the float mounted for rotation while in suspension in the tank, and having peripheral buckets, a pulp nozzle by which the entering pulp is directed against the blades to rotate the latter and said float, submerged blades carried by the float arranged to direct the solids outwardly toward the sloping sides of the tank, and spaced submerged battles arranged between the sides of the tankand the blades, between which battles the currents created by the blades circulate, and means for drawing off the clear liquid from the zone between the blades and bafiies.

12. In a separating device, a container, rotary means for separating the lighter from the heavier substances, a valve con trolled discharge pipe for drawing ofl the lighter substances from the upper and inner portion of the container, a valve controlled discharge orifice at the bottom of the container for drawing ofl the heavier substances, and a float carried by said rotary means for controlling the valve of the said last-mentioned discharge orifice, whereby, byvarying the volume of the light substances drawn oil, the consistency of the heavier substances discharged can be posi tively regulated.

13. A separating device comprising atank having a discharge orifice in its bottom, and means for supplying material in solution thereto at the top, a valve for controlling said discharge orifice, a float for regulating said valve in accordance with the height of the material in the tank, means operated by the inflow of the material in the tank whereby to impart a swirling motion to such material, and cause the heavy particles therein to be moved outwardly allowing the lighter particles to remain near the center, and discharge means communicating with the inner portion of the tank and having a regulable means for varying the volume of material drawn off and consequently the consistency of the material discharged at the bottom of the tank.

14. A separating device comprising a tank having a discharge oriflceat its bottom, and means for supplying material in solution thereto at the top, a valve for controlling said discharge orifice, a float for regulating said valve in accordance with the height of the material in the tank, rotatable means operated by the inflow of material for imparting a swirling motion to the material in the tank whereby to move the heavier particles outwardly, baflie plates outside of which the material is introduced and surrounding said rotatable means whereby to prevent entrance of the heavier particles to the inner portion of the tank, and a dis charge pipe communicating with said tank inside of said baffle plates and provided with regulable means to vary the volume of liquid discharged therethrough, and consequently the consistency of the material discharged through the bottom orifice.

15. A separating device comprising an inverted conical tank having a discharge opening at its bottom, and means at its top for supplying the material thereto in solution, a Valve for controlling said discharge opening, a vertical stem for said valve journaled for rotation in the tank, a float carried by the upper end of said valve stem for regulating the valve in accordance with the height of the material in the tank,

buckets on said float in the path of the in coming material for rotating said valve stem, vanes carried by said valve stem below 1 drawing of! the clarified substances, and.

regulable means for said discharge pipe whereby to vary the volume of liquid drawn off and consequently the consistency of the material discharged through the bottom opening in the tank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. BEARD'SLEE.

lVitnesses JOHN H. HERRING, WV. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

